A Sorta Fairytale
by PoolOfCrimson
Summary: Fairytales are ridiculous reading trash that assumes life can be perfect." Mikan Sakura never believed in one after a tragical past. But then found herself living in a series of random fairytales. Only, there are more than one prince.
1. Unhappily Ever After

**A Sorta Fairytale**

**Unhappily Ever After**

"…_and they lived happily ever after."_

_The night is tranquil. Serene as the stars that scatter astutely upon the black painted sky. As silent as the moon as it once again outshone the glorious ray of the sun. Unruffled as the two loving hearts that sat beside each other, though unlike the cool breeze that lingers the air, warm is the atmosphere surrounding the loving family._

"_Okaa-chan, I don't think any of those fairytales you read to me every night is real. It's quite impossible for a woman to grow such long hair or sleep a hundred years without aging at all." Said a five year old brunette to her smiling mother Yuka._

"_Mikan-chan dear. Of course none of it is true. Fairytales are human composed stories that give out moral and important lessons to people especially to children like you. The authors just created such outlook of the story not only to make children interested, but also for them to understand what the authors are trying to imply." the mother patiently explained to her puzzled daughter._

"_Oh... Well that's just sad." Sighed the thwarted young girl._

"_Hmm? Why sweetheart?" asked her mother as she started stroking the young brunette's tresses. _

"_Because if fairytales are unreal then there are no handsome princes either. Then there also won't be any pumpkin carriages to take me to the ball or dwarfs that'll befriend me or even talking mice that'll sew my gown." Insisted the child, a cute pout forming her lips._

_Her mom just smiled at her cute pouting look. Still, she was baffled to hear her daughter's remark. She never thought fairytales interest her this much. Which is good for her daughter's progress of acuity. (ok, honestly I don't really know what reading fairytales does for the young reader's mind so I just invented something up. ;p)_

"_Those my dear, are mere symbolisms purposely used by the authors for their young readers to understand certain viewpoints." Clarified her mom, not really sure if her daughter understands her explication which made her continue._

"_The evil witch for example. She symbolizes the trials and challenges faced by the protagonists. And the prince will be the imagery of the heroine's hope." She patiently explained. _

"_And you know what Mikan-chan? You're life is a fairytale" _

"_Huh?! Really?! That's great!" Mikan bounced in joy as images of birds fluttering all over her floods her naive mind . But utter realization hit her, remembering some statements her mom stated awhile ago._

"_But, how? I thought you said it wasn't real." She asked for the ease of her feral confusion._

"_You see, Kami-sama wrote each and everyone of us our own colorful life stories which is our very own fairytales. Along with our birth is the bookbinding of our fairytale. Remember when I said fairytales are also composed of moral lessons?" _

_The girl nodded in reply. _

"_Well each and everyone of us has their unique personalities and perceptions in life that others may learn or gain from." She said with a smile on her face. She never really mind explaining a great deal as long as it's for her daughter's benefit._

"_So all in all, this story book in my hands and as well as the other fairytales I've read, are mere representations of people's life story." _

"_Hmm.." Mikan thought hard pointing one index finger to her chin then notioned,_

"_So you mean you also have your own fairytale too? And that oto-chan's your prince charming?" She gleefully asked and her mom chuckled at her daughter's point of view._

"_Yes my dear daughter. And you, my darling, are our princess." With that, they embraced amiably enjoying a mother and daughter bonding moment. Mikan's mother pulled away and kissed her daughter's forehead._

"_One day, you'll meet you're very own prince charming and live in your beautiful castle, and then you'll have handsome princes and beautiful princesses as your children."_

"_Really? Wow." Mikan sighed dreamily._

"_But first you have to go to sleep before that happens. You have to have your beauty rest if you want to be as beautiful as a princess is." Her mother said pointedly, her smile never leaving her visage._

"_Ok! I love you mom."_

"_I love you too Mikan."_

_**Satisfied with their heart's content. One thought she had gain what she had to ascertain for a fiber of knowledge in her understanding. While the other, presumed she had given adequate amount of actuality for the young one. But for the latter's consternation, she hasn't. Because of this small undelivered fact, the little one will comprehend it the harsh way. She overlooked to clarify the familiar line in every fairytale's curtain call… **_

_1 Year Later_

"_I'm getting sick of this!! Our company is at jeopardy and instead of using our extra savings for avoiding bankruptcy, you buy tons of alcohol and spend time with sluts!!"_

"_You think that's enough huh?! This darn savings of ours isn't enough to rebuild the company! Why don't you sell your fancy shits! They're enough to feed a whole third world country anyway! Instead of always depending on my arse!!"_

_Mikan could hear loud smashing of ornaments. It stings her ears. But what hurts more is the yelling of her parents, bad-mouthing each other. She tried to shut her eyes and cover her ears for comfort, but she could still hear them. She began to tremble in fear as she hears violent slapping downstairs. So she crutched down in the corner of her room trying in desperate to find sanctuary. _

"_Mikan! Come here my granddaughter." She opened her eyes and found her jii-chan entered her room with arms waiting for her to come to. Without hesitations, she ran to her granddad and hold on to him tight. Her little hands clawing the back of his kimono. Then, she started crying. Crying as a little child would in these frantic momentum of their life. _

"_Jii-chan! Sniff..Okaa-chan and otoo-san they're..sniff..they're…"_

"_Sshh..there there Mikan. Everything will be alright now. Your mommy and daddy are just having some misunderstandings they will make up in no time." _

"_sniff..Are you sure jii-chan?" Jii-chan nodded in reply. Though inside his head is telling the exact opposite. 'This might be the last straw.' He thought desolately._

_The next day Mikan found no sign of his daddy's possessions in their house. He may be at work most of the day every single day of her waking life, but he still lives at their house so it's just natural for his stuffs to be here. But mysteriously, when she woke up early today, there's hardly any proof of her otoo-san's residing there._

"_Mikan dear. I know you're still young and I know it's hard for you to handle what I'm about to say. But I want you to know as soon as possible because I know you're a smart girl and you'll understand me perfectly." Her mother's serious face made Mikan gulp unconsciously but still nodded in reply. _

"_Mikan, you're father and I had a rocky marriage life." Her hand gesturing as she said the word "rocky." "So for your sake, and ours too. We decided to separate. From now on, you are going to live with just me and your jii-chan." She claimed. Her voice still calm and soft while her two hands clamped onto Mikan's shoulder. _

_Mikan just stared at her mother's russet eyes in disbelief. They had a happy life, at least that's what she thought. Are they been hiding their ruckus to her?_

_Finding the right words to speak, she asked her mom "Where did otoo-chan go?"_

"_I don't know honey, neither does your jii-chan." Tears threatened to fall from Yuka's auburn orbs as she sees her daughter in a state she even ought not to be in. _

"_I'm sorry Mikan." Was all she can say to her meager daughter. Those were the only words she could come up with after seeing her daughter's teary façade. As she said those words, she hugged Mikan tightly and wept on the little girl's shoulder._

'_Mikan should be the one crying now not me. She doesn't deserve this not one bit.' Yuka thought as she embraced her daughter. Mikan hugged her mother back but held a deadpan face. _

_Her mother never knew what her daughter thought at that time. She never knew her mistake as to forget to say something so crucial it could amend her daughter's blank façade into an emotional one.._

…_**not all fairytales ends with a 'happily ever after'.**_


	2. Flummoxing Reverie

**Flummoxing Reverie**

_Rrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnggggg!!_

'_**thump'**_

"Yaaawn.." I let out a sleepy sigh as I suddenly remembered the cause of this early slumber wake. "First day of my not-so-new school." I stated.

Ah, Gakuen Alice. One of the most sought after alma mater of the 21st century, and has been proudly rooted at Tokyo's environs for exactly a century for this year. 99 of its alumnus are successful and most are now world prominence. To claim that you are a student of the said school is like saying, "Hey, I'm your future boss." This prestigious institution is high in standards when it comes to education, good-grooming, proficient and well mannered educators, state-of-the-art school facilities regardless the school division which is composed of the elementary division, middle school division, high school division, and the top most, the college division. Now tell me what else could you wish for?

And I Mikan Sakura, an average high school graduating girl with not so average dream, studies there for more than a decade now. And my dream? To travel globally. Not as easy to achieve as it sounds eh. To tell you the truth, I'm still in qualm whether I could really do that even for the remaining 40 minutes of my life as a death wish. But who knows? Maybe on the way to school I'd unknowingly pick up some random lamp on the street then after dusting it, _whoosh! _A genie would suddenly appear telling how grateful he is to me for finally unleashing him from his 4,000 years of slumber, therefore granting me 3 wishes. Yeah yeah. I know. Wild imaginations sometimes really get the better of me.

Well you could say that I'm as mundane as the word "boring" but, at least I can muddle through with my studies as I can compete for the top rank. And no, it's not natural talent. When people say how admirable my acumen can be, a line always pops up in my mouth and swank "It's all fruit of hardwork." Yep, hardwork. Not that I want I want to work hard on my studies. It's just that my folks, _which is composed of my mom and jii-chan,_ made me grow up that way. And also, I see studying as a mere obligation of children. Having the phobia of disappointing my love ones is another heck of a story.

My dad left us when I was little. Taking with him all the riches. Fortunately, my mom, being the heiress of wide ranges of lands and buildings of money, saved enough 'cheeze' and launched a new business. So I won't deny that we're insanely rich. But we don't like bragging about it.

In actuality, we live our lives as ordinary as an average family does. Mom cooks the food, jii-chan doing the gardening, and I walk to school. Although we have maids, gardeners, a driver, and also a trusty butler named Reo, we merely address them as assistants only they're under different categories. Let's just say we see normalness as a means of sheer bliss. Though we can't avoid getting dressed and show up like royalties when the situation calls for it. And I must say, money really can't fill in the emptiness within.

Urgh! What I reviled the most is waking up so darn early in the morning just because of this so-called "obligations of mine." Especially when I got used to sleeping at 7 in the morning and waking up 4 in the afternoon just because of reading mangas. I hate fictioned, thousand paged, reading-between-the-lines books. I'd prefer manga anytime because, well, mangas are, different. If you know what I mean. Come to think of it, manga is the only reading material I bother to read (well if don't count physics, algebra and other school crap books). But you know what? Of all the mangas I've read, I never finished any. I don't know why but, there's something that prevents me from reading the last chapter of every story. In short, I don't know any of their endings. That's that.

As I came downstairs, I saw my mom Yuka cooking breakfast while humming in a soft tune and our butler Reo assisting her. People usually say that she's a spittin' image of me. Well… I couldn't agree more. And I'm proud to be, 'cause she's undeniably attractive. I didn't turn out to be as pretty as she is though.

"Ohayo okaa-san. Ohayo Reo-chan." I greeted groggily.

"Ohayo MIkan-sama." Reo greeted back.

"Oh! Ohayo Mikan-chan! You better get ready for school or you'll be late. And you better fix that grouchy look on your face or else you won't make any new friends." For a mom, she sure is the one more keyed up than her child being the one to go to school.

"It's 6 in the morning mom. School doesn't start until 8. And I don't need new friends my friends are fairly enough for me." I said aggravated.

"Why it's your last year as a high school sweetheart. You should gather more acquaintances because as they say "the more the merrier." She said with a wink.

"You know me mom. I'm not into social jamboree. I'd rather sit at the back of the classroom beside a stinky trashcan than to mingle with other people. Socializing is so NOT in my list."

"Hmm.. Socializer or not. You're still my daughter so I won't force you to do something against your will. And I know you know your limitations." she claimed with a pointing hand. "And so I wish you a blasting final year in high school!" Then hugged me.

Being a loving daughter, I hugged her back. My mom and I had a wonderful mother and daughter bonding moment when she, to my dismay, suddenly embraced me so tight she lifted my body a little and started screaming in a very animated voice, "OH MY GOODNESS!! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE ONE YEAR STEP FROM COLLEGE! TIME SURE IS FAAASSTT!! I EVEN REMEMBER THE TIME WHEN I USED TO READ YOU FAI.."

"ugh..mom…I can't breathe..ugh." I said struggling for air.

She let go of me in the sudden realization. While Reo sweadropped and twitching a smile.

"Oh. Sorry dear. _Chuckle. _Well you better get changed we've wasted much time already."

"Ok then." I sighed with a smile. Leave it to my mom being really, well, motherly. And that's why I love her so0oo0o much! She's simply the whole package. And I couldn't ask for more.

And so I did my morning routines. Taking a bath, brushing my teeth, fixing my long auburn hair, that reaches my lower back, into a high ponytale and secured with my favorite hair ornament. It's a plain cotton rubberband that's decorated with a median sized tangerine colored ribbon with a ruby elegantly attached to its center.

I'm not really that conscious when it comes to my corporal appearance. Just some powder on the face, perfume, a little straightening up of my uniform then _tada!_ I'm done! Not so normal for a high schooler huh.

As I looked at the clock, it says 7:35.

"Still have plenty more time. But I want to see Hotaru-chan and the others already." So I went outside and bid my mom goodbye.

"_Itekimasu!" _

"_Iterashai Mikan honey!"_

"_Iterashai Mikan-sama."_

Morning walk to school sure beats my sulkiness. Fairly cold morning breeze washed across my skin. Sakura petals drop delightfully as the wind carries them with its glory. The sun is just about to show its grandeur thus painting the once dark blue sky slightly golden.

I scanned my surroundings to check for anyone's presence. But came to find that I'm all alone.

Seizing the opportunity, I smiled then closed my eyes. Tilting my head above a little, I inhaled the morning scent of peacefulness with arms widely spread on my side while walking in a slow pace.

"Wish this could last forever."

There's not one sound around but the sweet chirping of the birds and the walloping of the leaves with each other.

I could only feel the wind brushing my soft smooth skin.

It's intoxicating. The smell of the flowers that lingers through my nostrils. Wonderful morning dew that could make you say, "life is so wonderful." The oh-so nice scent of _Calvin Klein Euphoria parfum…_?

"Huh?" But before I could even half open my eyes I bumped onto something, or rather someone and fell flat on my butt.

"Ow!" I complained, rubbing my sore bottom.

"Tch.. Does idiots really walk with their eyes closed and vulgarly show off their underwear." a husky voice said. Sarcasm really present in his tone.

'_What the..' _"What the hell did you just…." I was just about to shout out my colorful vocabulary of iniquity but to my utter dismay, my eyes beat me to it.

In front of me is what I think Zeus' long lost sons. Two godly figures stand before my bungled state.

First is the guy, judging by his arrogant appearance, whom just called me an idiot. About my age wearing our school uniform with a façade worth displaying in every art exhibit for. Poise that would surely intimidate the heck outta ya. His raven tresses matches perfectly with his bloody crimson orbs that you'd be mad enough to look away from. His hands in his pockets as if saying "I'm bored but still mightier than you."

Then stood beside him is another flawless sight. Also my age and wearing the same uniform but unlike the bum one beside him, he's looks are more kind and serene. Sexy blonde locks hang carelessly covering the sides of his smooth face. Blue-as-ocean eyes that could leave you gawking and drooling at the same time. Just looking at him makes you wanna picture him in a potent prince outfit shouting at your window "let thou hair down."

'_Gawd are they even real?'_

Never in my 18 years wake of living have I seen such… eye candies.

Ok, I've read a series of fairytales when I was little. And the impeccable way the princes in those stories were described left even my most innocent mind with one word. _Impossible__._ But, am I to scratch that word already?

I continued to space out until the mighty rude one spoke.

"Hey Polkadots. Are you just gonna sit there and drool."

'_His sentence wasn't even an interrogative for pete's sake!'_

"Hey!" I managed to yell out but was once again cut because a hand reached out to my face waiting to be held. I looked up and saw that the helping hand belongs to the angelic faced blonde.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"Uh..I'm..f-fine." '_Damn I'm stuttering!!'_

I took the offer and stood up. "Uhm.. thanks." I managed to say him. But blood is starting to creep up my cheeks. I tried to hide it by looking at the other guy as I hear him mutter "tch."

"You're quite rude huh! Just who do you think you are?! We barely know each other and yet you called me an idiot!" I suddenly flared up forgetting the fact that he also called me polkadots and what I'm doing is a total turn off.

"Man the idiot has such big mouth she looks like (pokemon)." He said with an unfazed tone.

"(pokemon)?" then realization strucked me.

"YOU ASSHOLE!! I DON'T LOOK LIKE THAT YOU SON OF A BITCH!! JUST WHAT ARE YOU?! DEVIL IN THE FORM OF HUMAN?! WHY DON'T YOU….."

"Uhm.. miss." The blonde called out and slightly raised a hand. "I'm really sorry about my friend here.."

"Don't speak to her Ruka, she's an idiot, she probably couldn't understand our language." Said the raven haired guy in a stern voice and started to walk away. I bet popping veins are clearly visible on my head! But I calmed down when an actuality hit my head, big time.

'_So his name is Ruka.'_

The Ruka guy glimpsed at his retreating friend before returning his gaze to me once again.

"I apologize again miss." He said bowing slightly.

"O-oh uhm. '_Darn it! Quit stuttering will ya?!' _No! You shouldn't apologize! You're not the one at fault anyway."

And then it happened.. The skies just opened and angels emerged from heaven blowing their trumpets. Angelic voices singing the hallelujah chorus filled my ears. The ocean split into two revealing mermaids playing the harp and other sea creatures dancing. And pigs fly!!

It's like the moment of perfectness.

'_He smiled.'_

To say that his smile blew me away is one huge understatement.

"Judging by your uniform, we'll be seeing each other at school." His voice suddenly snapped me out of my embellished reverie.

"Huh?" It took me a while before what he just said dawned to me. Then I looked at what I'm wearing as if doubting what I really wore.

"Oh! hehe." '_Aaaaaahh!! We're schoolmates!!' _"Gakuen Alice? Well..uhm." '_Speak you dumbhead!'_

"Ruka! Let's go! Leave the idiot behind!" His friend called out peeking through the window of his auto. '_Ugh! That dork ruined everything!!'_

"Natsumewait up!" Ruka called out turning around his back already facing me when he suddenly glanced at me and wink then walked away with a saluting gesture.

Ok. That wink just killed me! Though not literally.

'_Natsume huh. Oh like hell I care!'_

I stared at the screeching red Jaguar sports car they just hopped in to. Really sexy car with Abercrombie godly creatures inside…sigh..

I stood there for who knows how long, registering everything that happened awhile ago. I unconsciously touched my right hand, the one Ruka held when he helped me up. That's when I noticed my heart is out of control! Damn I hate this feeling! It's like the feeling of being called by Jinno-sensei to answer his oh-so tough questions. It's like the feeling of getting caught by your mom raiding your refrigerator in the middle of the night. It's like feeling the desperate urge of call-of-nature but then you can't call back because the throne room's locked.

It kinda hurts already, so I breathed carefully to maintain my heart's regular speed again as I held my chest. Thankfully it worked. But not long enough as I glanced at my watch and it says..

"7:56!! I'm gonna be late!"

'_Running is no use. It'll still take me 10 minutes to get to school. Oh God! Let there be a miracle!'_

"Hey, Baka."

O.o O.o O.o O.o O.o


	3. Damsel in Dumbstruck

**Damsel in Dumbstruck**

While the two boys are walking towards their new school. Well…

"_OMG!! Look at those hotties! I'm gonna go after the raven haired guy."_

Ssshh!! I'm trying to narrate here!

"_I think the blonde one's hotter!"_

Yah yah. I know I know. So will y….

"_NO!! I think both of 'em are delicious! Just looking at them makes me wanna handcuff them on my bed barely naked!!"_

Oh my! How aggressive can you get?! Well, you get the picture. Just stepping on the marble floor of Gakuen Alice, our two _Prince Charmings_ already got quite a reputation. Well who won't when you just got out of your Hot Red Jaguar Sports Car along with you and your best friend's sizzling Hot Bods?

"Hey Natsume, what was that all about?" asked the blondie.

"What about what?"

"Don't what about my ass. You know what I'm talking about. The girl. She interests you huh." His bestfriend may be furtive and enigmatic, but being best friends since wearing diapers era really made an advantage for our blonde guy. It's like having the mind reading ability if I must say.

"tch."

"You actually spoke three sentences to the girl. Dude that's a world record if you're not aware."

"Ruka, you're exaggerating. It's not like it's the first time I've talked to a girl with complete thought.."

"Yeh yeh.. And reptiles have fur. Well your stepmom and Aoi doesn't count. So all in all… You know what I'm thinking."

"No."

"Sheesh! Don't play dumb. You interested in her aren't you? She's cute too if you ask me. And she's the first ever chick to call you an asshole who suddenly became a bitch's son." Ruka laughed at the thought. But Natsume just ignored him and ushered them to go to the rooftop. Still, Ruka knows what's inside his friend's mind. And he's not gonna let the opportunity slip his velvety cunning hands.

"So the usual first day routine?

"Hn."

"Phew! Thank God you're limo passed by me Hotaru. I would've been late. Who knows what that would Jinno say to me. And Y in all WHY's in the world does THAT SPECIE of all endangered species have to be our fureaking ADVISER?! Damn! Rummage through his stuff and you'll find a funeral plan. I mean c'mon at least he should see he's DEAR students smiling before he goes six feet under with his senile stringency along with his senile frog…blah blah blah..blah, bla…."

_**Baka! Baka! Baka!**_

And the next thing people saw is a lady brunette's head utterly dug a hole right through the cafeteria wall.

"Honestly Hotaru-chan, sometimes I doubt about you and Mikan-chan being best friends." Said a pink-haired girl namely Anna Umenomiya. Her cheery green orbs complementing her and one of Mikan's trustworthy friends.

"tsk tsk.. Poor Mikan-chan. It's our last year together, who knows where on mother earth clever fate brings in our college so you better be nice to Mikan-chan already Hotaru-chan for a change." Claimed a blue-haired lass with matching dark blue eyes Nonoko Ogasawara. Her features almost bafflingly identical to her best friend Anna and also one of Mikan's circle of friends.

"I'd be nice and change if hell breaks loose." Said Hotaru Imai. Our heroine's best pal gal. Like our prince charmings, the two have been friends since the dinosaur era. But being a cold and indifferent, she is totally an opposite of Mikan. She has tantalizing, emotionless purple eyes and boy's-cut hair but still manage to look elegant.

Mikan sat up and walked dizzily to their table where she was once brutally thrown away from by the Ice goddess' _**Baka Gun**_. Then settling herself beside her "bestfriend."

"Are you ok Mikan?" asked Anna.

"She is. Even the highest level of potency of my baka gun can't shot the stupidity out of the girl's thick skull." Hotaru said in an uncaring voice while taking a sip of her soda.

The "twins" just sweatdropped.

"Mou Hotaru-chan. Could you invent something that'll suck the atrociousness outta your cold flesh?" Mikan teased while holding her viciously smacked head.

Hotaru glared ice daggers through the corner of her eye towards the shrunken brunette.

"Ehehe.. Sheesh! I'm just joking! Gawd! Your creepiness really could use some holiday."

People could only sympathize for the innocent, poor harassed cafeteria wall. For the brunette's head had once again bore a second hole on the pitiable thing.

"Hey Hotaru-chan, I've heard rumors that we actually have two new classmates but decided to ditch Jinno-sensei's class." Announced the gossip-alert Anna, While Mikan tried to walk back to their table in vain, cupping her now bleeding temple.

"Poor them, they still have no idea of Jinno's inferno of wrath." added Nonoko while twirling her pasta boredly.

"Yeah I've heard about that." Said Hotaru. Mikan is just eavesdropping to their topic. Having nothing to do but to listen to her friend's freshly fished gossip.

Hotaru continued to publicize her gathered information (with the help of some of her "animal spies") to the three.

"And according to my reliable resource, they are the most popular boys at their last academy and were voted 'Kings of the Night' a hundred times in every Home Coming Dance. Looks, tons of money, and being under one of the world's most eminent families, and not to mention being EXTREMELY HOT, are just about the beginning, for I've also came to know they can kick us out of the top spot without breaking a darn sweat. I'll just leave it to your creative imaginations to think if it's bribe or not." Hotaru being Hotaru, didn't even took a breath after her protracted speech and emphasized the words extremely and hot with nothing but a stoic face while nibbling her French fries.

Anna and Nonoko's eyes threatened to bulge out of their sockets as the words "extremely hot" filled their hearing senses. They giggled and clapped hands and sighed dreamily, while Mikan posed a dazed expression.

'_Extremely Hot.' _These two words just reiterated in her mind like a broken stereo as two manly figures also repetitively appears in her mind theater.

"According to my proficient research, their names ar.."

"Ruka and Natsume." The three heads snapped to Mikan's direction as she managed to cut through her best friend's announcement with precise answer.

Has the world gone mad?!

"How would a baka like you know?" Hotaru asked, raising a brow. 'The hunks' really doesn't interest her until her idiot of a best friend, who knows the least of the gossips than anyone in the universe, overlapped Anna's wide range of radar. Let's not forget Hotaru's amazing sharpness in observation, that she even foresaw Mikan's shocked façade as the Ice Goddess' emphasizing of such words that NEVER in the history of histories go through one fiber of the lass' boys-struck-numb ear.

"Simple. I've already met them." Mikan said in a bored tone, her palm supported her chin added her uninterested features.

Hotaru twitched a brow. Anna and Nonoko's jaws partly open.

"And lemme say this to you. That Natsume guy is one heck of a rude,obnoxious,conceited,jerk,butt-headed,dim-witted,devil advocate idiot,not to mention…."

"Undeniably hot?"

"Yes and undeniably super hot!"

Mikan froze after her long 'list of bad adjectives' fête that ended with the word she swore she'd die first before blurting out. Oblivious to her, she'd already let the cat out of the bag the moment she mentioned the lad's name to her girls. At least only to Hotaru. But boy, she'd be the last person you'd want to leap the cat out to.

And Mikan also took notice the husky voice which broke her remarkable retort.

"Hn…'Sup Polkadots?"

As Mikan turned to see the owner of the voice, a hand tapped her head as if she was a pet dog doing a good job on catching the frizz ball. She already knew who the bastard was but still wanted to send him one way ticket to hell death glares. And so, she met those damn beautiful bloody red eyes. But just by seeing the smirk in his face is like admitting defeat in a long lost battle. _Why? Oh why does it have to be him?! Of all people Kami-sama!_ She felt like digging a hole on the ground and dwell into nothingess for all eternity. As she was about to scream how damn of a pervert he was. A familiar angelic voice suddenly spoke up with words like soothing songs that lingers through Mikan's ears.

"Hey there."

And so once again our little heroine Mikan, was sent to a state of oblivion. Struggling for the right words to speak, she finally verbalized the same words he spoke.

"H-hey…there." She mentally smacked herself for being such a duffus.

Anna, Nonoko, and some of the passer by's just stared in awe at the bare witness of Mikan's converse with the so-called "bachelors" while Hotaru turned off the flash of her camera to avoid the chatting bunch's attention before flicking it like a crazy paparazzi. They were acting like they knew each other for ages! The raven haired guy teased Mikan then tapped her head with an arrogant smirk in his face. While Mikan just glared daggers at the figure and did nothing, which is pretty hard to believe for a war-freaked Mikan. He even addressed her as polkadots. Which confused the heck out of her friends. For Mikan is the type of person who despises name callings even if they're for affable purposes. She says name calling is like a way of over defining one's personality or demeanor. Damn, the girl really has issues. And she hates talking about it. But at least one person could fully understand her. Hotaru. Well, who else do we expect anyway?

"As expected, we meet again huh." said the blonde, ignoring the curious stares they're getting. Well he's used to that anyway like he's best friend would've.

"Oh. Uhm. Y-yeah." Mikan can't stop mentally kicking hell out of her arse for stuttering. It's not like she hasn't spoken to a guy before. Its jut like, there's something in this dude that…something in him that…you know…uuhh..Aaarrh!! What the hell! I don't know! There's just something in him that's that! End of story! Hoo!

'_Oh shit, here goes my heartbeat again!'_

"What's your name by the way?" He asked Mikan with a smile so sweet it makes the female audience bite their blouse and cry in jealousy.

"M-mikan." '_I should ask his name or it'll be too obvious that I was sneaking into their little conversation earlier.'_

"What's y-yours?" Mikan asked. The "dummy rumble" still going on inside her.

"Oh I'm Ru.."

"I thought you knew us already." Natsume said in an unfazed tone. Man, can't he say an interrogative sentence properly?

Mikan hid the urge to whack this guy to death.

"Yeah Mikan. You're even describing how rude,obnoxious,conceited,jerk…" Hotaru butted in. But Mikan quickly shut her up by introducing them to the guys.

"HEEEY! By the way! These are my friends Hotaru, Anna, and Nonoko." She hastily said while pointing to the respective owners of the names. Ruka took notice of them and smiled while Natsume just stood there face as stoic as ever, concealing his hands in his pockets. Anna and Nonoko beamed at them and waved slightly while Hotaru just looked at the boys, her camera amazingly gone in a click.

"So you guys going to attend the next class?" Mikan asked.

"Yeah I think so. We just cut the first period 'cause we got sleepy." The blonde answer back.

Mikan's jaw dropped in incredulity and disappointment. Ruka, the first ever guy she stumbled her words on, is a notorious student. Well that sucks now doesn't it.

"O-oh, uhm, w-well I uh..ehem." '_Damn! I can't recover from my state of shock!'_

"Hey, just how long are you planning for this chitty-chatty to go on." Natsume cut in. "I'm hungry and time's running, let's go Ruka. Must be hard for an idiot to speak her own dialect." He smirked at Mikan before turning away. Leaving a dumbstruck and not to mention boiling in frustration Mikan.

"BASTARD!!" Mikan retorted. The small crowd around her flinched by the sound of her voice.

"So uh, see you girls around." Ruka beamed at his new acquaintances before following his friend.

"See ya." Mikan merely whispered the words as she gazed at Ruka's retreating figure.

"O to the M to the G!! Mikan! That Ruka dude is totally hitting on you!" Nonoko squealed while shaking her arm violently.

"Hyeah!! Totally Mikan!! OMG your such a lucky…"

"Lucky what?" Mikan suddenly cut Anna's words. Knowing fully that its one of her name callings again. Her tone was serious and sporting a look as if saying "dare to continue." Anna pursed her lips but then opened them as she finally found the right word.

"…girl. Why, is that bad?" She was about to say bitch but thankfully, this pink-head knew better.

Mikan merely rolled her eyes and looked away. Her sight caught Natsume and Ruka digging food from the counter.

"Polkadots." As if her reflexes know better, she turned her head at the owner of the voice. And met mauve colored eyes.

"What did you just call me?" Mikan narrowed her eyes at Hotaru.

"I wasn't referring to you baka. Why, is your name now Polkadots?" Hotaru replied, looking away while taking a sip of her drink.

Nonoko and Anna eyed each other for a second before turning to Mikan and asked her.

"Mikan, why did Natsume-kun called you Polkadots awhile ago?"

Mikan shrugged. " I actually have no idea Nonoko." Thinking hard. She pointed a finger to her chin and looked up the ceiling, as if the answer was somewhere dilly-dallying on it.

'_Does idiots really walk with their eyes closed and vulgarly show off their underwear.'_

_Underwear..underwear..unnnddeeerrweeeaaarrr…._

The brunette's face suddenly paled at the sudden realization.

"M-m-m-my…." Her lips were shivering and she's obviously stuttering. Her eyes were showing so much fear it worried her friends. Friends as excluding Hotaru.

"Mikan honey? A-re you ok?" Anna asked while placing a hand on Mikan's. Nonoko stood up and went beside her, stroking the stunned brunette. Hotaru just sat there smirking. She incredibly knows Mikan more than any living creature in the planet. The Ice goddess even bets she knows how much hair Mikan has on her head than her mother Yuka. And that palpable evil smirk that curves her lips a little, proves it.


	4. The Prince's Plaything

**The Prince's Plaything**

_2 Years Ago_

_Ding dong!_

_Hotaru waited patiently at the Sakuras residence's porch. A maid yanked the door open and bowed, then in a split second, a jovial Yuka greeted and ushered her in._

"_Hey Hotaru-chan! Mikan's taking a shower. Just go upstairs to her room and I'll bring you girls some milk and cookies." Yuka pointed her thumb specifically to the stairway behind her and skidded to the kitchen. _

_Hotaru merely gave her a faint smiled and nodded in appreciation before barging into her best friend's unbolted room. She then made herself comfortable on one of the beanbags that were seemingly scattered throughout the place. She's memorized every single detail of the brunette's 'sanctuary' down to the very last stroke of paint on the wall, seeing that she's already been here let's say…a couple of thousand times? But then, maybe, just maybe, she's a percent of a hundred mistaken. _

_There stood askew, her best friend's furtive closet. Now don't get me wrong, 'cause she's already witnessed the wonders that that astounding kingdom boasts. So it isn't the ocean of Prada shoes that perked her interest. It's not the street of neat Chanel riches, Burberry coats, nor Dolce 'n Gabbana jewelries, 'cause trust me, it's just about a quarter of what she has in her own closet. What flicked her interest is the undie lingerie poking at the handle of the doorknob of the brunette's "mini mall." _

_As she neared the eye-catching item, her mind is at vocabulary shindig. "This is seriously, absolutely, appallingly, undeniably, nauseatingly childish." She eyed the poor, innocent object in utter disgust. It's white…with pink…POLKADOTS!…it even has 'Monday' embedded on it for god's sake!! As though underwears have to be worn on precise schedule! _

_She delved into a large drawer which is indisputably, the only thing in Mikan's life that she hasn't intruded yet. What greeted her was a sea of technicolored dots. Particularly POLKADOTS. And they were arranged according to the day that was entrenched on each and everyone of them. Looking at the oceanic spots beneath her makes her uncertain and wonder if the girl is just plain naïve or a five year old little girl stuck in a sixteen year old's body. _

_As she heard the shower hushed, Hotaru closed the aberrant drawer quickly and went outside the closet. She sat on the beanbag and picked up a random magazine and started to dig in it just in time to see the Mikan opening the bathroom door._

"_Oh hey Hotaru! Sorry I took my time, my alarm clock busted on me again." A brunette youngster just came out of her bathroom clad in a towel. Beads of water waterlogged the floor from her damped hair as she made her way to her closet._

"_Little wonders that your simple punch can make." Hotaru said in a sarcastic voice._

"Hush now my dear students!" A blonde man by the age of thirties slightly raised his right hand in gesture of silence. His amethyst eyes wandering through the four corners of the classroom indicating that the gesture made is in general.

Everyone silenced giving him the go signal to speak.

"Now this is actually Jinno-sensei's job to begin with. But as you lot have known, we have two new transferee students that'll accompany us 'til he end of the school year."

Giggles and dreamy sighs could be heard as Mr. Narumi ushered the two gentlemen inside. Wow, good news sure travels like a lightning bullet shot on a rocket launching wild bull and gorillas fast. (A/N: What the heck did I just say?)

Mikan and her clique who were sitting at the far most corner of the room just watched as girls drool, giggle, fantasize, and some even faint at the scene at in front of them. Though Mikan, trying hard to keep a steady visage, couldn't really hide the blush that's caused by the throbbing sensation she currently feels. Hotaru watched her best friend from the corner of the eye with a glint of tomfoolery and smirked.

"Why don't you two give us a proper introduction." Mr. Narumi said as he motioned a 'the floor is all yours' hand.

Ruka is the first one to talk, seeing as his best pal has no plan of initiating the introduction.

He offered a warm smile that made some of the girls drool, giggle, fantasize, and some even faint, yet again before starting.

"Hi! I'm Nogi Ruka and he's Hyuuga Natsume. _Yoroshiku!_" He finished off with a slight bow and glanced at Natsume. Looking bored as usual. But Ruka could see through and more. '_Hmm,.Mikan huh.', _he thought.

True enough, the moment Natsume stepped inside, his crimson pair of eyes caught a familiar idiot.

Ruka's eyes wedged. from Natsume then to Mikan. And he can't help but think that fate really is fused to his side. For it's making everything easy for him. Peanut easy. '_This is going to be the most interesting year yet.'_

'_Gawd! Of all people! Why him?!_'

Mikan shifted uncomfortably on her seat. She felt like melting like a cheddar cheese under those red gazes and can't help but confer out a pout. She, for the nth time, glanced at her new smuggish seatmate but was not taken aback when her eyes captured crimson ones staring right back at her. He's been doing that since he took a seat on that cursed chair making our brunette aggravated as ever.

'_Hotaru Imai..you are sooo gonna pay for this.'_ She cursed inwardly with a drilling glare at her best friend's back. You might be wondering how the heck did Imai got in front of Sakura when the last time I told you is that they're sitting at the far most corner of the classroom. Well, let's just say, Imai got interested in playing the role of Cupid.

"_So class, I know you're old enough to be told but, let me say it again: be NICE to your new classmates." _

_It seems that the word NICE barred through the girls' thick head in a different angle._

"_Ruka-kun! I'll sure be nice to you! I'm going to give you a morning kiss every single day!"_

"_Natsume-sama! I'm going to show my niceness by being your slave! My dignity is all yours!"_

_The boys, Mikan, and Mr. Narumi sweatdropped while Hotaru triggered her Baka Ammo which shut the fanatical girls' traps._

"_Ehehe..ehem..uuhh since two of my students who sits in front already dropped out, the two of you can fill in their empty seats." Mr. Narumi signaled the two to their seats when Hotaru's hand shots up mid way to call the teacher's attention. _

"_Yes miss Imai-san?"_

"_I have bad eyesight." She said in a very unconvincing way that made Mikan chuckle sarcastically beside her. But the Ice Queen ignored it. 'Laugh while you still can.' She thought with an evil grin. Peeking at her POV sure beats winter coldness._

"_Since when Einstein?" the brunette teased her best friend._

"_About five minutes ago." Mikan rolled her eyes by this reply. Whatever. Mr. Narumi wouldn't believe her anyway._

"_Uuhhm..well then, you can take the seat here in front while Mr. No…"_

"_aaaaI have bad eyesight too Mr. Narumi-sensei!" Ruka sliced in the teacher's words before he even finishes it. Natsume eyed him bizarrely. 'Since when?' as if Ruka read his mind, the blonde merely gave him a shrug…and…an wicked grin._

_Mikan was flabbergasted. How can a handsome, intelligent…to summarize it..perfect teacher be so gullible?!_

"_Oh. Well then, that leaves Mr. Hyuuga-san to seat at the back. Tell me, is yours 20-20?" Natsume's thoughts were cut by the mention of his name. He answered the question thrown at him by just walking towards the seat that's scornfully awaiting him. _

_Natsume and Hotaru walked past each other on the way to their new respected seats. Oh boy, bet you could imagine. Fire and Ice. Brushed through the same vicinity, the same air, at the same exact time, locked each other's gazes in a battle of the fierce cold glares. The ambiance so intense that dark clouds and loud cracking thunders seem to fill the four cornered room. _

_The whole class just gawked at their not-so-pleasant exchange of glares. And it won't take ten dancing hippos to figure out what the whole student body's thinking._

'_Weird.'_

"Would you mind? You're boring a hole through my head." Mikan have had enough and decided to sardonically confront the head driller.

"Yes, I would mind. But on the other hand, I'd love to see through that hole and plant my name in it." He said in a very seductive tone and leaned closer to Mikan's ear. Her eyes are threatening to bulge out of their sockets when she felt him blow on her ears.

"N-naru-sen-se-i…." She wanted to scream her lungs out but couldn't. It's like the guy bewitched her and made her voice crumple inside. Natsume merely smirked when he saw her reaction. It's so darn hilarious at the same time interesting. Any normal girl would love to get harassed by The Natsume Hyuuga but would _**never**_ yelp for SOS. Been living in utter boredom his whole life means he's hankering for something interesting. And whatever that interesting would be, should consider its mere being as the luckiest little creature on the planet. For it has just been embossed, as Natsume's _**toy.**_ It just so happens that that it isn't an it…it's a she.

Things just get more and more interesting…


	5. The Wicked Witch’s Presentiment

**The Wicked Witch's Presentiment**

_Check the mic cord every place I roam_

_And all the bullshit cease when I pull my chrome_

_It's automatic, drastic the way I blow you_

_Incredible and unforgettable_

_I make you bounce to the rhythm what counts I hit em_

"Shit."

_Click._

That's just my alarm clock. Of course being a member of a Techno Geek Freak family, all of our stuffs here has its way of posing that techno is implemented in them. From the snapper lights, to the sensory showers and faucets. Even our pens have cameras installed in it. That's why our clan is having a feud with this Imai folks. They're nothing but competition and threat to our family business. Not that I care though. I won't own the stupid company until I'm 21. But I still need to think about its welfare, after all, it's my future property. Everything's already planned out for me since my parents' marriage. I knew since childhood that there's a blue print that foretells every step that I make and I don't have to worry about a shit. All is premeditated out. That's why I grew up with no dreams of my own. I don't even know if I like the fact that I'm an heir to my father's chair. All I know is I don't have to dream, I don't have to plan, I don't have to think about my desires, I don't have to think about anything at all except for my little sister and some other absurd stuffs. That's Natsume Hyuuga for you. The most careless, weighless, dreamless, unburdened dude of all times. But the fact that I'm unburdened makes it all a quandary. If you know what I mean.

'_Hn. Saturaday.'_

I took a shower, put on a black polo shirt, dark denim pants, and a casual black leather shoes. Top it all with a Calvin Klein Euphoria parfum.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Natsume-sama." All the maids and his butler greeted me in a neat row as I came down the stairway. Of all the 21 wondrous morn greetings, all were answered with a….

"….."

It's ok. They're used to it.

NPOV

As I walk inside the dining room, scents of maple syrup and warm waffles lingered Natsume's nose. He then saw his 4 year old sister eating by herself since she doesn't want anyone but her brother to feed her. Their parents? Company, money, work, coffee.. you know the drill. He knows what it's like to be ignored by, of all people, your own parents. He experienced such silence and sadness inside their mansion longer than anyone else. And to tell that he doesn't have anyone else to seek comfort from at night when nightmare hunts him rather than his butler Sakurai.

When Aoi came, she added color to his once dull life. She's his treasure. His angel and his gold. So he just couldn't let coldness seep into her life. He shouldn't and wouldn't.

"Onii-chan!" she beamed as he sat beside her.

"Look! I'm eating by myself! Aoi-chan is good!" her wide smile revealed a toothless front teeth.

"That's good to hear." Natsume said and slightly patted her head.

After 3 minutes

"Hm? Onii-chan why aren't you eating anything?"

"I wanna make sure you finish your food first." Then he started to help his sister slice the remaining waffle.

The maids couldn't help but sigh dreamily at how sweet her heartless brother can be when it comes to his little sister.

"_Hey dude! Get your arse here at my place. I want you to check something out."_

A very psyched Ruka said over the other line of the phone.

"Ye, whatever. Got nothing to do anyway."

"_Ok cool. See ya!"_

"Hn."

And by that, I pushed a certain button on my cellphone and then the next thing I saw was my Jaguar stopping in front of our porch and automatically opened the door to the driver's seat. Nothing's impossible to a technologically freak family. But people wonder how I keep the carbs off when I don't have to break a sweat in everything I do. Simple, I'm hot. How is that related? Figure it out yourselves.

I sped off to blondie's place with my amplified music that boosts out the green in your ears.

With my five years of experience as a street drag racer, I take every sharp turns as whatever but still have that tinge of caution courtesy of my hawk eyes. But the next thing that welcomed my sight pushed my reflexes to death. My right foot left the accelerator and pressed the breaks so hard it's a miracle that it's still intact. While the same with my left foot at the clutch. My body was pushed forward a bit violently and I started having second thoughts about not putting the fuckin' seatbelt on.

"The hell.."

I got out of my car and checked out the old lady I almost ran over. Her basket once full of apples was dropped on the dusty road and the apples were rolling out in all directions.

"Oba-san daijobu desu ka?"

The old lady stared at me for 2 seconds before clutching her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh I'm fine son." Then she started to pick her apples up one by one. Lucky me, I won't create a traffic jam because the street is incongruously abandoned. No sign of life at all. Just ugly and derelict low edifices. And what in the world is a weak old lady doing in this..this..street? If you call it one.

Shrugging the thought off, I helped her pick up her apples. You can call me a devil, but I also have a heart you know. When everything's in order, she carried her basket and secured it in her arm. And that's when I noticed. Ok now you can call me a heartless shit of a devil. She looks like a wicked witch for goodness sake! She's wearing a black cloak that reaches her feet and hides them well. Her overly slouched back adds to it. She picked up a wooden rod that, in my opinion, is her crutch. To put it simple, she looked awfully like the wicked witch in that Snowy Tale or whatever is the title. Thankfully her face looks safe to look at.

Though I carry a stoic expression, I can't deny that strands of hair on my nape stood up.

"You know my boy. You may not look like it, but you have a kind heart. You think of your love ones prior to yourself."

She held out a hand which contains one of her apples. I recalled the story. Snowy took her apple, ate it, and ended up in a coffin. And that spelt BAD. Though I found her remark amusing and wonder if it's factual. Maybe. Maybe not.

My hand gestured a no and apologized before turning my back to her.

"My dear. The first woman to meet those lips of yours will be the queen of your life for eternity. Keep that in mind"

I stopped my tracks as I registered her words in my brain. Then I looked back, and the creepiest thing happened. She disappeared. Feeling all jumpy and nervous, I started to walk back to my car casually with an impassive face. As if evaporating people into thin air is a normal everyday scenery. Well after all, I'm Natsume Hyuuga. Panic is not in my vocabulary.

I kicked the engine on and continued my drive.

'_The first woman to meet those lips of yours will be the queen of your life for eternity.'_

The hell…

A nurse pulled an old lady into an alleyway as she saw her talking to man behind his back.

"Oba-chan! How many times do we have to remind you not to stow away from the hospital! Who knows what might happen to you? And do you even know that guy? He might be bad you know. And those apples are not yours, they belong to the patient beside your room for heaven's sake!"

The raging nurse gently shoved the old lady inside the ambulance. She then closed the rear door that's labeled: "Tokyo Mental Hospital"


	6. Waking Up Sleeping Beauty

**Chapter 6 **

**Waking Up Sleeping Beauty**

"There's no such thing as ghosts.. There's no such thing as ghosts.. There's no such thing as ghosts.." a young brunette kept on chanting these words as if they were a magical mantra.

Well it's almost midnight and the ever faithful flashlight, seized tightly within her palm, is her only company and not to mention, the only source of light. Pacing alone with tremor in a hundred year old edifice.

You ask why? She could've just scuttle off and go home right? But the thing is, she can't. The fate of the 24 free Alice Festival Amusement tickets lies in her wobbly hands. Otherwise 24 students of Class3-B are out to get her, viciously.

_Flashback….._

'_Pop' 'Pop' 'Pop'…._

_More veins popped out of Inchou's head as if imitating cracking popcorn. His hands are tautly fisted and his pair of glasses humid from the heat emitting within him as he glared at the insolent, boorish brats in front of him. Insolent boorish brats a.k.a students. _

"_Will you all SHUT THE HELL UP???!!!!!!" banged the Class 3-B President. Hotaru Imai as the vice president corked her newly invented singing earplugs in her ears three seconds before the anger outburst. _

"_NOW!! AS I'VE SAID AWHILE AGO!! WHICH IS I KNOW YOU ALL DIDN'T HEAR YOU BUNCH OF DEAF BAGS!! WE NEED A REPRESENTATIVE TO BE THE KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR!! REGARDLESS OF GENDER!! DID YOU BRATS __**UNDERSTAND**__????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_

_Silence reigned the four cornered room. Not a single heap of breath can be heard. Are they holding their breaths? You can't blame them for being scared to death after a "demon" just liberated his blaze of wrath. _

"_Of course they won't Inchou, they weren't listening ever since you've started blabbing. Lemme take it from here, why don't you just relax for awhile." Said Hotaru to the incredibly infuriated president. _

"_Sigh.. Thanks Hotaru. Don't know what I'll do without you." And with that, he groggily walk off to the cafeteria to get some caffeine's appease. _

_As soon as the door snapped close, heliotrope pair of cold orbs glared at the crowd. All suddenly froze…well except for one. Her palms met the surface of the teacher's table with such force the floor quavered. Everone gasp…well except again, for one._

"_Alright you __**scumbags**__ what you just saw is a world record. We all know Inchou never uses foul words unless necessary. Try not listening to me and taste what you oughta taste." Her eyes flickered with malice as she triggered her 'Baka Shotgun.'_

_Everyone gulped….sigh.. except one again._

"_Ru-chan sure is scarier than a ghost." Whispered a young brunette settled at the back._

"_Why, are you scared of ghosts." a husky voice suddenly came from behind the anxious Mikan. _

"_Yeah super." she answered._

"…_."_

"…"

"_What the…?"the next thing Mikan saw is a handsome yet egotistical smirk lingering the raven haired lad's lips. _

"_This upcoming Alice Festival, our school is going to host one of the famous Amusement Parks here in Tokyo. And our school is giving away free access tickets to students…."_

_Her explanation was incised when shrieks and gasps of enthusiasm filled the room. Leaving the orator no choice but to…._

'_BABABABABAKAKAKAKAKA….'_

_Her trusty contraption hit every babbling student right in their temples. Blowing the smoking mouth of the incredible shotgun as her curtain call._

"_Want more? I sure do." She mockingly said._

_The students harshly shook their heads. _

"_Continuing, our school is giving away free access tickets to the students of the certain class who'll win the Halloween Challenge."_

"_Halloween Challenge?" _

"_Shut it Koko. I'm getting there."_

_Koko hastily zipped his mouth shut and felt the hair on his nape stood up._

"_Each class in high school level is going to partake in this challenge. The Halloween Challenge is basically called 'The Treasure Grave Hunt.'"_

_Natsume could actually hear the painful gulp emanating from his brunette seatmate. Evil glint…Evil glint.._

"_Each class will decide on which treasure to veil within the school vicinity. Our job is to obtain one of our opponent's treasure. So we have to conceal our treasure very well, for the moment it leaves its den, an alarm will go off signaling the end of the game. Especially when no one's allowed to guard their treasure."_

"_That's absurd! Why won't they allow us to guard it?!" asked Sumire, an attractive permy haired lass who developed a liking on Natsume and Ruka for the past month. And even established a fan club for the both guys._

"_Having guardians will only make things more complicated and absurd and thus ensuing physical and social conflicts. Have you thought of that?" _

_She picked up a white chalk and started writing on the board._

"_Now, the treasure should have something of sentimental value to the certain class that holds it. Fake ones are to be produced and strewn at the 'battlefield.'" _

_Several "Oohs" and "Aahs" were heard after the speaker turned to the class. What was seen on the board was an almost perfect visual of the "battlefield." It could've been a perfectly printed blueprint. _

_Hotaru's amethyst orbs scanned the room as students' eyes glimmered and mouths drool. _

"_It's still the academy you idiots." _

"Treasure box…treasure box…treasure box… just have to find this stupid treasure box with Mr. Biology Teacher's stupid cactus inside." Mikan continued on.

The draw for the "Knight in Shining Armor" was commenced two days prior the game. And of course, Mr. Narumi picked the small paper with Mikan's name on it. What are the odds?

Her classmates decided to go for the treasure they're most certain would be the authentic one, which is Class 3-A's treasure. The cactus was Class 3-A's birthday gift for their professor. An inside joke was also initiated, saying that the cactus will always know who does and does not cheat during exams, and that it will eventually turn those student's in to the Biology professor.

Unbeknownst to Mikan, a pair of ruby red eyes was shadowing her every step. Seizing each opportunity obtainable for him to fright the poor girl ten feet away from where he's hiding. If one would look at him, that person would think that he's on the opposing team. Seeing that he does things that would jump the crap out of the pigtailed girl as if he's a hired worker from a _Horror House _in an amusement park or something.

But he couldn't help it. Watching the poor oblivious girl flinch at every minimal sound amuses him to no end. It actually makes him want to _laugh_. Which is so out of character. Natsume Hyuuga _**never**_ laughs. Ok, maybe he does. But he does it scarcely you could count it with your fingers, or one would think there's something wrong with his laugh box. He snickered at the memory of Mikan crouching on the ground, her booty held high, when Natsume "accidentally" kicked a rock to her foot.

"Who's t-t-there?"

Once again, Natsume found himself want to laugh at Mikan's stuttering attempt to be plucky. He was about to stifle another chuckle if it hadn't Mikan almost aimed her flashlight directly at his face. He quickly bounded to the nearest pillar and held his breath.

Seeing no one, Mikan continued onto her quest and chanting. Her flashlight trembling in her hands in the process.

"What am I doing?," Natsume asked himself.

Surely, it's out of boredom right? Never in his life has he paid this much attention to another person apart from Ruka and his little sister. Let alone making him want to laugh like this. Mikan, she's a mere stranger. An outsider. Ok maybe she's a total stranger, but she's just a classmate and that doesn't make her any more less than what she's allegedly labeled for. She's not suppose to suddenly spring out of the blue and poke her way through his personal bubble he'd strongly built for years.

With his sudden shift of mood, he made a dash for his car, wanting to be out of the school as soon as possible. He suddenly felt suffocated.

His cellphone vibrated in his pocket playing Ruka's ringtone just as he was about to start the ignition. He deliberated on answering at first but sighed and pressed on the answer button in the end.

"What."

"_Where are you? Thought you were in the classroom."_

"Yeah, well I got bored. I'm in the car, was about to go home."

"_About to go home?! Natsume the school's practically having a game and you're going home! What a douche dude. Get your ass back here and join us play pranks on other students."_

Natsume could actually hear Ruka's malicious grin through the phone.

"Did you just called me a douche, jackass."

"_So what if I did, what are you gonna do about it asshole?" _

"I swear I'm gonna rip your throat open the moment I set eyes on you, you dick."

It could've been threatening, terrifying, petrifying, horrifying if it wasn't Ruka he's talking to.

Ruka merely chuckled and said, _"Yeah mutthead I believe you. Ooooh, I'm so scared."_

"Shut up."

Only him, only Ruka could make Natsume render a shit-talk combat with a "shut up," which signals his defeat. As if discerning his friend's white flag, Ruka emitted a teasing laugh.

"Tsk, who are you with anyway."

"_Koko and Kitsuneme."_

"Figures."

"_What?"_

"What, you now practicing your pranking skills."

Ruka barked another laugh. _"Whatever douche, c'mon get your ass up here or I'll be the one the rip your throat open."_

"Call me that one more time.." he was rudely interrupted by the beeping sound indicating that Ruka hung up on him.

"Shitface," he said as he glared at the phone as if expecting it to burn under his glaze. He sat for a moment and pondered about standing Ruka. After a couple of seconds, he released a heavy sigh and got out of his coupé.

This is one of his weaknesses. Ruka. He's just been so attached to the point of actually being fretful of the other boy withdrawing his friendship with Natsume at the simplest reasons.

Of course he knew Ruka wouldn't be like that. He's just paranoid maybe. There's little in this world that he cares about and cares about him with all their hearts. And he wouldn't know what he would do if they fled.

You could say that it's his own fault for not letting any other in. But he can't risk being crowded by untrusting people. One would befriend him because of his money, his power, and usually his looks. But after getting what they wanted out of him, they'd just leave him hanging without as much as a compelling reason.

He learned that the hard way at a very young age.

As he made his way towards their class' building, he can't help but note the darkness creeping around the entire academy. The glorious beam of the moon is the only thing that illuminates it and the pathways. Of course they turned off the lampposts to append extra thrill on the game. How interesting that they'd set the date exactly on the night of the full moon.

A sudden scream followed by a splashing sound broke him out of his thoughts. He turned his head towards the sound and his eyes caught sight of the school's lake a hundred yards away from him. A spectacle of someone's arms flailing above the water signifies that someone's drowning.

He didn't know why the moment he heard the scream, Mikan's troubled face came into his mind. Shaking his head and dismissing the thought, he broke into a run. Wishing to all the gods it wasn't who he thought it was thrashing his/her hands in there.

He cursed under his breath as everything seemed to be swallowed by darkness. He looked up to see the moon behind thick cotton of clouds, casting a shadow over them. As far as he knew, this dimness will be for a while seeing that the clouds stretched on longer than expected.

Following the sound and not relying on his vision, Natsume didn't falter in his pace, instead he hastened his steps toward the lake. As he felt the earth below his feet soften, he knew he finally made it. But it still didn't make him feel comforted. The splashing sound a few feet away from him is now slowly fading into merely taps of water that eventually turned into pops of bubbles until the dreaded silence reached his ears.

Without second thoughts he submerged underwater. A flicker of light from below spared Natsume the time and effort of feeling his way for the body. It lit towards her shoulder and nothing more. He noted the puffed fragment of uniform around the shoulder and the long, black, and untied hair behind her back, informing him it was a girl and at the same time assuring him it wasn't who he dreaded it to be. He reached his arm forward and grabbed the first thing he could. Apparently, it wasn't her hand and unfortunately, it disentangled from the body.

Cursing in his mind, he worked his left hand and fisted it around her arm pulling her up. He gasped in a lungful of air as he emerged above. This girl was heavier than he thought. He glanced around and noticed that everything is still pitch black.

Letting out another colorful vocabulary, he carried the body to the surface and hovered above her. He checked her pulse and pump of veins guaranteed she's still with him. His hand palmed her abdomen and noticed that she wasn't breathing.

'_CPR,' _he quickly thought.

Without hesitating, he pinched close her nose and pulled open her jaw. He still couldn't see her though. Drawing in a lungful of oxygen, Natsume bent his head down and closed the distance between them.

Natsume knew this is not the appropriate time for unnecessary thoughts. But he couldn't help but note her soft lips on him as he blew a mouthful of oxygen in her.

No, he couldn't help it.

The sparks crawling through him also didn't give any aid, but instead it abet the increasing confusion inside him and mess with his perception of what he's supposed to do and think at a time like this.

He shook his head as if to remove the unnecessary musings as he, once again, collected a lungful of air. It proved to be an effort wasted as his logical mind betrayed him yet again the moment he bent down.

Just as every fiber of his rational intelligence left him, she coughed out in his mouth. And with that, Natsume was thankful. He was about to truly kiss this girl without her consent….

'_Kiss.'_

The word lingered in his head making him freeze on the spot. Faint light was starting to materialize through the clouds, enough for Natsume to see her kneeling in front of him breathing hard, but not sufficient enough to make out her features.

She reached a trembling hand for his but before she could get any further Natsume broke into a run. Obliviously passing by a smirking Hotaru around the corner.

And leaving a dazed and confused Mikan behind.


End file.
